


Lanterns

by theimpossiblepossiblegirl



Series: 52 Short Stories in 52 Weeks [15]
Category: Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-04-10
Updated: 2016-04-10
Packaged: 2018-06-01 13:03:39
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6520882
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/theimpossiblepossiblegirl/pseuds/theimpossiblepossiblegirl
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Rose and the Doctor spend some down time together at the Lantern Festival.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Lanterns

**Author's Note:**

> Week Fifteen: A story set at a concert or festival

“Where did the TARDIS land us now?” Rose questioned as she leaned against the console.

Putting his glasses on, the Doctor tilted the screen so he could read it. “Taipei, Taiwan. The twenty second of February, 2016.”

“What’s so special about that date?”

“It’s the last day of the Chinese New Year. We’re off to a celebration, Rose Tyler!” He pulled his glasses off and stuck them in his pocket, giving her a grin. “We’re here to see the Lantern Festival.”

“Yeah?” She grinned, her tongue poking out slightly.

“Allons-y!” Taking her hand in his, the Doctor pulled her out of the TARDIS and locked the door behind them.

“So why exactly do people hang the lanterns?” She questioned as they made their way over to the crowd.

“Well, the lanterns can symbolize people letting go of their past selves and getting new ones. They hang them every year, to have a new start.”

“I see a lot of red ones, is there a special meaning behind those?” Rose questioned, letting their fingers lace together.

“Ah those symbolize good fortune.” He gestured over to a stall that had them. “Do you want to hang one?”

“Yeah, I would. We’ve had a tough year, might be good to start over.” It had been six months since the year that never was. They had said goodbye to Martha and Jack and decided to travel by themselves for a bit.

His eyes softened as he brought her hand up to his mouth, pressing a kiss to the back of it. The torture she had been put under by the Master had killed him. They had all made it out, which is what mattered. “Then we’ll both hang one."

As they made their way over to the stall, Rose quietly reminded him that they didn’t have any money, at least not anything that could be used here. Without responding to her worries, he requested two lanterns and lights.

“Your lantern, Dame Rose.” He grinned as the attendant handed her one while he took the other.

“Thank you, Sir Doctor.”

They walked over to the steps and sat down to set up their lanterns. The Doctor took out a pen and wrote something on his before offering the pen to Rose.

“What am I supposed to write?”

“You don’t have to write anything. But if you do, just write what you want to. We can hang them once you’re done.”

Rose decided to leave a message for her mum, not that she would ever see it, wanting to start the ‘new year’ with a new light. She handed him back his pen and stood up, holding her hand out to him. When the Doctor slipped his hand into hers, they made their way over to the display and the Doctor hung their lanterns up.

“Do you want to walk around?” He questioned, pressing a quick kiss to her temple. “We can get something to eat.”

“Yeah, that sounds lovely.”

The Doctor dug around in his pockets and pulled out a few notes which he gave to Rose. “There, the New Taiwan dollar. Can buy anything here with those.”

“Ta.”

They settled on sweet dumplings and ate them as they walked around. As many adventures they had been on recently, Rose’s favorite ones were when they didn’t have to run for their lives. Most of the time when the Doctor planned a quiet night for the two of them, something went wrong. She hoped that wouldn’t be the case for their current destination.

Soon they found themselves drifting close to the water and Rose decided to sit down in the grass. He draped his coat over her shoulders and sat down next to her, stealing one of her dumplings in the process.

“Oi, get your own.”

He grinned and stole a kiss from her before leaning back on his hands. “You said you were full.”

“Doesn’t mean I wasn’t saving them. Here, finish them.” She shifted a bit and handed him the container before slipping her arms into the sleeves of his jacket.

“Ta.” He sat up and took the container from her and stuffed another one in his mouth. “I want to see if I can get the TARDIS to make these.”

“Might be fun to try to make them ourselves.” She commented, looking over at him.

“We can try.” After he finished the last dumpling, he put the container off to the side and laid back on the grass. He felt Rose lay next to him and he reached out for her hand. “Are you feeling better now?”

“Yeah, I am. Thanks to you.” Slipping her hand into his she looked up at the sky. “The lanterns remind me of stars, the way they bring hope and good fortune.”

“Good thing I have my own personal star.”

“That was a line, Doctor.” She teased him, turning onto her side.

“Was it a good line?” He questioned, a grin on his face.

“Yeah, it was. So how am I your own personal star?”

“You make me a better man, Rose. You give me hope when I’m not sure if we’ll make it out of a situation and you keep me on track.”

Rose blushed, hoping the Doctor wouldn’t be able to see. “You’re stuck with me then.”

“Best thing to ever happen.”

The pair shared one more grin before she moved closer to him and laid her head against his chest, his double heartbeat making her feel at home. When she told him almost two years ago that she was going to stay with him forever, she meant it. At least now he accepted it.


End file.
